Tool



June 13, 1933. F. FARQUHAR TOOL Filed July 28, 1932 ATTORNEY Patented`lune 13, 1933 UNITED STATES 1 AT1a11s1rv voral-lcs g Application `filedJuly 28, 1932. Seri-a1 No. 625,42-5.

My invention relates to improvements in blades are shaped as showninFigs. 4 and tools, more particularly to tools for killing 5,respectively. TheyA are fori-ned of flat weeds, such` as dandelions, andit consists pieces of metal, kpreferably steel and are in thecombinations, constructions and artapered from their cutting ends totheir op- 5 rangements herein described and claimed. posite ends. Boltholes 4 are provided and 55 In eradicating weeds, such as dandelions,bolts 5 are passed throughthese holes to it has been customary to usesome cutter, secure the blades firmlyV in position. such as a spade orother tool, having a sin- It will be noted'that the-upper blade 2 gleblade and to thrust the blade in the soil is shorter than the lowerblade' 3. Both of lo to cut the tap root. Usually the weed is the bladesare bevelledon their upper sides 60 pulled up and this leaves a hole inthe at their ends torprovide cutting `edges 2a ground which isunsightly. In most cases and 3a, respectively. The' lower blade 3 is newshoots will spring up from the root bent slightly toward the upperblade. In and the fact that the weed has been removed the drawing thisis shown exaggerated lfor gives the new shoots access to sunlight andthe `purposes of illustration. The inclina- 66 air, thereby facilitatingtheir growth. tion is such that the perpendicular distance An object ofthe invention is to provide from theV "edge of the upper blade tothe atool byV means of which dandelions may lower blade is aboutone-sixteenth of uan be killed without injuring the grass but on inch.

the other hand tending to loosen the sod so From the foregoingdescription of the 70 as to promote the growth of the grass. parts ofthe device the operation thereof A further object of the invention is tomay be readilyy understood. In using vthe provide a device of the typedescribed which device the lower blade is so directed that it is simplein construction and which can willv .enter the soil and pass through thebe manufactured at a low cost. tap root 6 of a weed, such as adandelion. 7.5

A further object of the invention is to rlhe upper blade will pass abovethe crown provide a cutting tool which severs a grow- 7 and will severthe stems of a portion ing plant into three sections at one Inoveof theleaves 8 and the bloom 9, as shown ment, thus expediting the work ofkilling in Fig. 2. The weed is, therefore, cut into the weeds. threeportions.

Other objects and advantages will appear The severing of the leaves andbloom prein the following specification and the novel vents thedevelopment of the bloom and features of the invention will beparticularseed. This is not true where the plant is ly pointed out inthe appended claims. only severed once and that below the crown.

My invention is illustrated in the accom- The lower blade cuts the taproot below the crown, leaving the crown in its original plication, inwhich position. This tends to keep the sunshine Figure 1 is aperspective view of the tool, and air away from the tap root, therebyre- Figure 2 is a View of the tool showing the tarding the developmentof new shoots and 4. side edges of the blades and their applicain manycases causing the whole root to die. tion to the weed, In actualpractice it has been found that Figure 3 is a section on the line 3--3of this decayed crown attracts some form of Figure 2, insect which layseggs and develops larvae Figure 4 is a plan yview of one of the about aweek or ten days after the plant has blades, and i been cut. Theselarvae feed on the oldv 9.5 Figure 5 is a plan view of the othei1 crownand tap root and thus the plant is blade. definitely eradicated.k

In carrying out my invention I provide The death of the old plant isaccelerated 50 a handle 1 and to this handle I secure an by theV factthat the soil is loosened and this v upper blade 2 and a lower blade 3.These gives a chance for the germination of new 149,0

v panying drawing forming part of this apgrass seed. It will be observedthat only one thrust of the tool is necessary and hence the weeds can bekilled very quickly.

I have found that if the lower faces of the blades are bevelled to formcutting edges there is a tendency for the blades to heave the turfabovevthern. The purpose of inclining the lower blades Vis to preventsoil from clinging between the blades. If the blades are parallel thereis a tendency to pack the soil between the blades so that when the toolis withdrawn it pits the lawn. By inclining the lower blade when thetool is thrust into the ground there is a tendency to wedge the twoblades together, but on withdrawing the tool the lower blade will tendto spring away from the soil thus leaving it in position and permittingthe withdrawal of b-oth blades.

I claim:

1. A tool comprising a handle, a blade consisting. of a fiat strip ofmetal secured to the handle on one side thereof and projecting beyondone end, a second blade secured on the opposite side of the handle at aslight inclination to the first-named blade, and being longer than theiirst-nained blade, each of said blades having bevelled cutting edges. v

2. A tool for cutting dandelions comprising a handle, an upper bladeconsisting of a Hat piece of metal secured at one end of said handle,and a lower blade secured to said handle and extending beyond the end ofthe upper blade, each of said blades having a cutting edge at its lowerface and said blades being disposed in angular relation.

FRED FARQUHAR.

